privilege to serve as your vice president these last four years and work alongside president bush put our economy on an upward path. we've cut taxes, added 1.7 new jobs in the last year we'll continue to provide opportunities for business and for workers. we won't be happy until every american wants to work and find a job. we believe that all americans ought to have access to available -- to medical care, and that they ought to have access to the finest schools in the world. we'll do everything we can to preserve social security and to make certain that it's there for future generations. i work for four presidents and watched two others up close, i know that there's no such thing as a routine day in the oval office. we saw in 9/11 that the next president -- next decision of president has to make can affect the lives of all of us. now we find ourselves in the midst of a conflict unlike any we've ever known. faced with the possibility that terrorists could smuggle deadly biological agent or nuclear weapon into the middle of one of our own cities. that threat and presidential leadership needed to de